Scion brand taught Toyota what young buyers really want

Toyota says it achieved what it had hoped with the Scion, including attracting younger buyers. In 2015, Scion sold a shade over 56,000 vehicles, which amounts to about two months’ worth of Toyota Camry sales.

Toyota has announced that it will phase out the Scion brand, starting in the second half of this year.

“Scion has allowed us to fast-track ideas that would have been challenging to test through the Toyota network”, Toyota North America Chief Executive Jim Lentz said in a statement.

While more than 1 million Scion cars were sold over that period, the brand says the decision was made in response to customers’ needs. Scion’s best-seller, the tC coupe, starts at $21,330, or $2,600 more than a Honda Civic.

The C-HR will be introduced as a Toyota for the 2017 model year in August, according to Automotive News, as will the iA, iM and all other models now marketed as Scions.

The tC sports coupe will have a final release year before ending production, the company said.

We’re used to seeing domestic brands like Mercury, Oldsmobile and Plymouth die, and even import brands ranging from Daihatsu to Isuzu to Renault have left the USA market over the years. The sales saw constant decline, which reached a whole 68% in 2015 when compared to sales of 2006. Toyota is working to make the transition easier for customers and dealerships alike. Toyota covered up that news with a new nice words about the brand.

“For those buyers, frankly speaking, Toyota as a brand is more aspirational than Scion was”, Carter said.

The production version of Toyota’s C-HR compact crossover was also displayed as a Scion model at last year’s LA Auto Show, indicating a plan was in place to grow the brand further. The subcompact Scion iA that’s sold in the U.S.is already sold as a Toyota in Canada – the Yaris Sedan.

Scion drivers were also younger than those of many rival brands, with the average owner just 36. They will simply be able to visit service departments at Toyota dealers.

Scions are not sold in standalone dealerships.

Scion’s 22 dedicated employees, who represent sales, marketing, distribution, strategy, and product and accessories planning, will have the opportunity to take on new jobs at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.in Torrance, California.